Madam President
by Kate Rosen
Summary: AU Sharon Raydor as President of the United States
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This story is a little different. It was inspired by a Tumblr post and prompt about Sharon as President of the US. It got me to thinking, and this little story was born. It is told in short scenes. I may continue it if there is interest, so please let me know what you think.

 **Disclaimer:** These are not my characters, I am just borrowing them.

* * *

 **Madam President** by Kate Rosen

"Come in," Chief of Staff Louie Provenza called to the door of his office after hearing two swift knocks. His deputy, Andy Flynn, entered then. It was only 6am, but he already looked fired-up about something.

"Did you see the Times this morning?" Andy asked. "This is ridiculous."

"What?" Provenza answered. "I've got it here, and I've been skimming it. Which section are you looking at?"

"It's an editorial by Ricardo Ramos. Listen to this: _If she chooses to run, President Raydor's greatest obstacle to reelection will likely be her husband. First Gentleman Jack Raydor's philandering tendencies and propensity to spend his evenings in bars or casinos is perhaps Washington's worst kept secret._ Can you believe that dirtbag?" Andy scowled.

"Which one? Jack or Ramos?"

* * *

"Aww, damnit!" Fritz Howard swore as he threw his newspaper down and quickly drained the rest of his morning coffee. He was so tired of reading about the the President's husband and his latest escapades that it made him want to scream. Her staff were constantly having to play defense with the press. It had reached the point where they were having trouble getting any real governing done.

Why couldn't he have just won the Democratic nomination? His personal life was much more stable than Raydor's, and he could have really made a difference in the White House. Instead, he had settled for joining her ticket as Vice President and working for an administration that was constantly in the shadow of scandal.

* * *

"Is she still here, Amy?" Andy asked the President's personal aide later that evening. He glanced at his watch. It was after 9, but he had a feeling that she would still be working.

"Yeah, she's in there," Amy answered, looking up from her computer to meet Andy's eyes. "You can go on in."

Inside the Oval Office, he found her at her desk with her glasses perched on the end of her nose intently reading a report.

"Madam President?"

At the sound of his voice, her face softened slightly and she glanced up at him. "Come in, Andy."

"Is that the economics report?" he asked as he approached her.

"No, I'm finished with that one," she motioned to stack of papers to her left, "and let me assure you, it's a real page-turner. Now I'm looking over this report on the status of sex education." Her lips curled into an easy smile and Andy couldn't help but smile back. It had been awhile since he'd seen her with anything but a stern look on her face.

"We've done a lot of good, haven't we, Andy?" she mused, "I mean, we got the education bill passed, and we created something like 100,000 new jobs with our employment initiative." She stood up and moved to stand beside Andy, who was leaning against the front of her desk.

"Yes, we have, Madam President, thanks in large part to you and your leadership."

Removing her glasses and placing them on the desk, she paused to pinch the bridge of her nose in an effort to stave off the headache which had been lingering just behind her eyes since the afternoon.

"Then why is it that all the press seems to care about is the fact that my husband has a big mouth and can't keep his pants zipped?"

* * *

The Raydors hadn't slept in the same bedroom since before she was elected. They should have gotten divorced years ago, but they had stayed together for the sake of her political career. She never dreamed that she'd go any further than Congresswoman for the State of California, but her good friend Louie Provenza had convinced her to run for president. He said he could get her the Democratic nomination if she let him run her campaign, and he had kept his word. Divorce would have made it impossible to get elected. No one would vote for a single woman to be President, everyone told her. Now here she was, the first ever female President of the United States. The fact that she was a positive role model for little girls all over the country should have made her feel better, but all she could think about presently was how exhausted she was.

* * *

"Why don't you head over to the residence, Madam President?" Andy suggested, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "The sex education report will still be here in the morning. And you do have that 7am call with the Prime Minister."

She didn't return the grin he offered this time. Her face looked pale and drawn. The dark circles that she so painstakingly covered with makeup every morning were beginning to show again. "When I think about doing this for four more years…" she began, but her voice trailed off as she dropped her eyes to the floor.

Using his thumb, he lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. Then, spreading out his fingers to cover the entire side of her face with his palm he said, "You deserve so much better, Sharon," and leaned down to kiss her.

Somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, she knew that this was a bad idea, but at the present moment, she couldn't fathom as to why. How long had it been since someone had kissed her? She couldn't even remember. And the way he said her name. No one called her by her first name anymore. She was either "Madam President" or "Ma'am." Obviously Jack still called her Sharon, but the way that he voiced it, with his emphasis on the second syllable, made her skin crawl.

Until this very moment, with Andy's lips and tongue tenderly caressing her own, she hadn't realized how alone she really was. Sure she was surrounded by people all day long. Her staff and advisors, many of whom she'd even consider friends, had her back, gave her sound advice, and any one of them would take a bullet for her, she was certain of that. But at night, when she was alone in her bed, how she longed for someone to not only touch her as gently as Andy was right now, his nimble fingers kneading that spot on the back of her neck where all her tension seemed to gather, but also for someone whom she could truly confide in, to share her hopes and fears with.

But it couldn't be, she thought, and the realization brought tears to her eyes as she softly placed her hand on his chest, hardly exerting any pressure at all, but even her subtle touch was enough for him to begin to back away. Although it had been she who had caused it, Sharon still sighed in frustration at the loss of contact, and her fingers desperately clung to his jacket of their own volition.

"Andy, I… we can't. I'm sorry," she rasped, then leaned her forehead against his and fought to slow her breath. She may have needed to stop their kiss, but she wasn't ready to fully let him go yet.

"I know. It's okay. I'll wait," he whispered.

Sharon lifted her eyes to meet his. Reaching up, she placed her hand on his cheek. "I can't ask you to do that, Andy."

Removing her hand from his face, he held it in both of his and placed a gentle kiss into her palm. "You're not asking me. I'm telling you that I'll wait for you. As long as it takes. Whether it's another year or another term, I'm not going anywhere."

Andy loved her, he honestly did, but he didn't say it then. It wouldn't be fair to either one of them. He would just continue to stand beside her every day until the time came when she would be free to love him back.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you to **Kadi219** and **Labyrinth01** who offered ideas and feedback for this chapter.

Just FYI, I decided to make Rusty about five years older in this story than in canon. Also, I have decided to have the characters refer to one another by their first names with the exception of Sharon, of course. I thought that this would fit more in with their roles as White House staffers rather than police officers.

Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed chapter 1. If you like this chapter, please take the time to let me know. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"Hi all!" Jack Raydor called as he burst into the Oval Office one morning several days later.

"Madam President, I'm so sorry," Amy Sykes, the President's Personal Aide, apologized, following him inside.

"It's all right, Amy," Sharon reassured her. As First Gentleman, Jack did have unfettered access to her office; he had just never actually utilized it before.

"Mr. Raydor, what a surprise. Welcome to our Senior Staff Meeting," Chief of Staff Louie Provenza greeted him condescendingly. He, Andy Flynn, Press Secretary Russell Taylor, and Communications Director Michael Tao were currently gathered in front of the President's desk, their lively discussion having just been interrupted by Jack's arrival.

Not picking up on his tone, or simply not caring, Jack smiled and replied, "Louie, it is so good to see you again, and Andy, I actually caught you working for a change."

Biting back the sarcastic retort that first sprung to his mind, Andy instead replied, "Yeah, I'm working on getting things ready for our upcoming peace settlement with the Middle East. You need something, Jack?"

"No, no, keep at it. Fighting the good fight, you are. Hello, Sharon," he called, finally acknowledging his wife, who looked none too pleased to have him interrupting her meeting, but it couldn't be helped. After all, she had been the one who requested to speak with him. She just hadn't expected that he would come by so early or burst in on her and her staff like this.

"Jack, would you mind waiting outside? I'll be with you in a moment."

"What, no 'hello?'" he asked, a sly smile crossing his lips.

"Hello, Jack, would you mind waiting outside? I'll be with you in a moment," she repeated, glaring at him over her glasses, which were presently perched on the end of her nose.

"Ok, all right, I'll just be out here."

Straightening up to his full height and crossing his arms over his chest, Andy shot a smug look in Jack's direction as the First Gentleman moved to exit the room after grabbing a mini muffin that no one had offered him off of the table and popping it into his mouth. Amy followed him out and shared an eye-roll with Andy and Louie before shutting the door behind them both.

* * *

Sharon quickly finished up the meeting, which had been winding down anyway and dismissed her staff, but Andy hung back.

"Andy," she asked, "did you need something?"

Her Deputy Chief of Staff stood by the door staring at his shoes. "I, uh," he stammered. "I just thought…did you need me to stay for a minute?"

Sharon smiled at his need to protect her. It was sweet, though unnecessary. "Andy, I have been dealing with Jack for over 30 years, and if for any reason I would have a problem this time, I'm sure that Julio and the rest of the Secret Service would be in here to defend me in less than five seconds. I don't need you for that," she said.

Nodding in understanding, he started toward the door, but before he reached it, he stopped and turned to face her again. "Then, what do you need me for?" he asked with a shrug.

She lifted her eyes to meet his for the first time since their kiss over a week ago. Sometimes it was just too hard to really look at him with so much unresolved, but he was unwavering in his gaze, and it made Sharon's breath catch.

"Andy, I…" She began then shook her head and cast her eyes down to her desk. "I can't do this right now," she continued in barely a whisper.

"It's okay. It'll keep," he answered, and she looked up at him again. "I'll be in my office." He offered her a small smile and tentatively reached for the door, then thought better of it and crossed the room to exit on the opposite side, away from where Jack was waiting.

When she heard the door click shut, Sharon took a few seconds to revel in the rare moment of quiet, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly before picking up her phone.

"Yes, Madam President," Amy's voice immediately answered.

"You can send Jack in now."

* * *

"It's nice to hear from you after all these weeks," Jack said, as Sharon motioned to one of the wing-backed chairs across from her desk. Although they both lived at the White House, they were each so busy that it wasn't uncommon for them to go for long stretches of time without seeing one another. And, of course, their bedrooms were at opposite ends of the residence, although no one but the Secret Service and some Senior Staff members knew about that particular arrangement.

Jack considered the chair but instead he opted to perch himself on the corner of her desk. Sharon folded her hands and stared up at him, but he had already busied himself with touching everything on her desk, including her half-empty tea cup from this morning, and was silently refusing to meet her gaze. She felt violated, as if he was running his fingers over her body instead of merely her possessions, and it made her feel sick to her stomach, but she wouldn't let him have this power over her. He may still technically be her husband, but she was the fucking President of the United States.

Clearing her throat loudly, she began, "I'm very busy, Jack, so let me get right to the point. I'm considering running for reelection."

That certainly got his attention, and she smiled smugly as he stopped what he was doing and finally looked at her. "I thought we agreed on just one term, Sharon."

She shook her head. "I said it would _probably_ be just one term, but nothing was ever set in stone."

"Well, if you want to run for reelection, I should be compensated for all the bullshit I will have to go through."

"Excuse me?" she retorted, suddenly feeling the need to stand. "Compensated? Are you asking for money? I cannot believe you, Jack. How about all of the _bullshit_ that you've put me through these past three years?"

"I'm just trying to live my life, Sharon," he said, moving off the desk to stand while still running his fat fingers over her things, currently her nameplate. "You were the one that wanted to be President."

Sharon sighed, placing her hands on her hips and looking down at the floor. She was past being irritated and was beginning to feel a flash of anger rise up her chest. "I didn't seek this out, Jack. An opportunity presented itself, and I couldn't exactly refuse. Do you think that this is fun for me?"

"So, if you hate it so much, why do you want to run for reelection?"

How could she possibly explain the obligation that she felt? On behalf of all young women, especially her daughter, she was a role model. She was the first woman to ever achieve the office of President of the United States. How would it look if she just gave up? She felt the need to at least try, even if she couldn't get reelected. She had already broken through so many barriers to be here, and this would probably be the last job that she would ever hold. She wanted to give it all she had.

"I don't expect you to understand, Jack," she finally said, resolved and crossing her arms over her chest, "but I _will_ be running for reelection. My question to you is, will you stand beside me?"

"Have you talked to the kids about this?" he asked, now tracing the silver frames that held her pictures. "Because this will affect Ricky and Emily, too."

Sharon stared at him blankly. "And?"

"And, what, Sharon? Do you not care how this will affect our children?" He stopped, having reached the edge of her desk, and he turned to face her.

"Yes, of course I care, Jack. I care very much, and I have talked to all _three_ of our children about this extensively. Or have you forgotten about our other son?"

Jack sighed. "He was always more yours than mine. I hardly have a relationship with him at all."

"He has a name, Jack. And if you don't have a relationship with Rusty, whose fault is that?"

* * *

 _Nine years ago_

Sharon entered the building that housed the law offices of Baker, Strunk & Raydor early one summer morning. She often liked to arrive before everyone else, settling in, checking her emails, and starting the first pot of coffee herself. Since her children were no longer living at home, Emily was in New York with the American Ballet and Ricky was a sophomore at Stanford, she found mornings at home, although peaceful, could be quite lonely. Jack had been in and out of her life for almost a decade. She kept meaning to file for legal separation, but somehow she had never gotten around to it. It's not that she held out any hope of their reconciling, it was more the feeling of defeat that she couldn't grapple with.

Sharon pondered all of these things as she arrived on the seventh floor and got off the elevator. When she looked up, she immediately spotted a blond-haired teenage boy wearing a plaid, wrinkled shirt and jeans sitting on the bench outside her office with his leg nervously shaking.

"Can I help you?" Sharon asked the young man.

"Are you Baker, Strunk, or Raydor?" He pointed to the sign on the wall that listed the partners' names before he turned and looked at her with his wide, blue eyes.

"I'm Sharon Raydor. And you are?"

"Rusty Beck. I was told that you take pro-bono cases on the first of the month. Today is July 1st."

"Well, yes, that's true, but usually people call to make an appointment. Are you here with your parents?" she asked, looking around instinctually, even though she knew no one else was there.

"No, I'm not here with my parents," Rusty answered, shaking his head like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "They're the _reason_ I'm here. I'd like to become emancipated. Can you help me with that?

Sharon motioned with her hand toward the door to her office. "Why don't you come inside and we will talk, Rusty Beck. Do you drink coffee?"

It turned out that Sharon couldn't help him, at least not in the way he wanted. Rusty didn't qualify for emancipation, because he didn't have a job or a place of his own, but Sharon did look into his DCFS file. He had been in and out of foster homes for most of his life. His mother was a drug addict, and no one had heard from her in almost five years. His father was listed as "unknown."

Having considered foster parenting in the past, Sharon was already licensed; she just needed to update some of her paperwork with DCFS. Once it was all in place, she brought Rusty home to live with her. Having been let down by so many adults in the past, Rusty took awhile to open up, at first preferring to spend time alone in his new room, but Sharon gave him the space he needed, and he eventually came around. And her home no longer felt like such a lonely place.

Since he was out of school for the summer, Sharon offered him money to go on coffee or lunch runs for the staff or to make copies and do filing for the firm. It wasn't exactly a proper job, but she had to admit that she enjoyed having him around, and he was a hard worker.

A year and a half later, when Rusty turned 18, Sharon offered to adopt him. She had talked it over with Jack, who had stopped by the house a few months after Rusty' moved in and had managed to stick around ever since, albeit in the guest room. She wouldn't call it a reconciliation, but they were being civil. Jack was working as a court-appointed attorney for LA County, and he said that he genuinely liked having Rusty around. Even so, Jack had balked at the idea of adopting Rusty when she first brought it up, but when she gave him an ultimatum, sign the adoption papers or get out, he had reluctantly agreed.

A few weeks after Rusty's adoption was finalized, Sharon got a call from Louie Provenza. Louie had been the one who hired her when the law firm had been known as Provenza, Clayton & Strunk. At first she had just worked as an intern, but she quickly earned the respect of the other lawyers in the firm, and by the time she was thirty, she was brought on as their first female partner. Around the same time, Louie had decided to leave to pursue some political endeavors, and he had since succeeded in getting a few senators and congressmen elected.

"This is a surprise," Sharon said into the phone. "I haven't heard from you in quite some time. How are things going, Louie?"

"They're going pretty well, Sharon. Listen, I have a proposition for you. How would you feel about running for Congress?"

* * *

 _Present Day_

"Here's the mail for you, Russ."

Press Secretary Russell Taylor nodded to his assistant in thanks as he took the large stack of envelopes from her grasp and placed them on his desk. A particularly large brown one caught his eye, and he turned away from his laptop to take a better look. It felt heavy in his hands, and his name and office address were handwritten in a hasty scrawl. He recognized the return address _1728 Maple Avenue, Los Angeles, CA_ as his home address, but he certainly had not mailed this to himself. Intrigued, he used his letter opener to break the seal and dumped the contents onto his desk. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

"Irene!" he called to his assistant, who immediately appeared in his doorway. "Get me Louie. Now."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you to Labyrinth01 who is the best beta a writer could ask for. Not only does she fix my spelling and grammar mistakes, but she also offers ideas and pushes me to be better. Virtual Ho-Ho's to you, my dear.

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Your kind words mean so much. This chapter is almost twice as long as the last one, but I have a feeling that there won't be any complaints. And to the guest reviewer who asked for more Shandy, you're welcome ;)

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"Damn it, how did they even get this? Juvenile records are supposed to be sealed."

Sharon tore her eyes away from the photos and papers on Louie Provenza's desk, folded her arms across her chest, and began to pace nervously. Half an hour ago, Louie had called a meeting with her, Andy, Russ Taylor, and Vice President Fritz Howard regarding the package that had arrived with the Press Secretary's mail this morning. The contents of which were currently spread out on Louie's desk. There were compromising photos of a teenage Rusty Beck Raydor from when he had lived on the streets and worked as a prostitute. In addition, an arrest record and various notes from his Children's Services file had been included. None of them could be sure where the package had come from, though they all had a pretty good idea.

"That son of a bitch," Andy swore under his breath. "Pope has no right to..."

"Hey, hey, now. We don't know that this came from Pope's people," Louie cut in, speaking of Maryland Senator William Pope, who was the presumptive Republican nominee for President and would most likely be running against Sharon in the election next fall.

"It doesn't matter who has it or how they got it. The question right now is, what are we going to do about it?" Fritz said, shaking his head. _Another scandal_ , he thought to himself, but this time he really did feel for Sharon. And Rusty. This was way over the line, even for someone like Will Pope.

"What does the letter say again?" Sharon asked, with her hand stroking her forehead in an attempt to massage away the tension headache that had begun to form there.

"It just says..." Russ reached out to pick up the single sheet of loose leaf paper on which a short note had been written with a pencil in careful block print.

"Wait!" Andy warned, "shouldn't you use gloves or something? You know, fingerprints?"

Louie rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Are we on a cop show?"

Making a dramatic show of pulling a tissue from the box on Louie's desk and holding the piece of paper by its corner, Russ read, " _Drop out of the race or this goes to the press. You have 72 hours_ ," and placed it back on the desk.

"Should we take this to the FBI? This information was obviously obtained illegally," Andy asked.

Louie shot his deputy a death-glare. "What are you, an idiot?"

"Louie!" Sharon warned.

"I think Andy's is a valid suggestion," Russ offered.

"No," Sharon said adamantly. "If we call the FBI, then we'll have to turn over all of this evidence, and my son's privacy has already been violated enough."

Of Sharon's staff, only Louie and Andy had known about Rusty's past before this mysterious package had arrived. She had told them in confidence during her first campaign in an attempt at disclosure, so they wouldn't be blindsided by any possible revelations in the press. It had never come up, but none of them had ever expected it to, because everything had happened when Rusty was still a minor.

"You're not seriously considering dropping out of the race, are you, Madam President?" Louie asked hesitantly.

Sharon sighed. At the moment, she wasn't sure what she was going to do. "Just give me a day, Louie," she pleaded. "Give me a day to wrap my mind around this, and I'll let you know what I want to do. And, please, none of this information is to leave this room." She glanced at each of her staff members, who nodded agreeably. "Thank you, everyone."

* * *

"Madam President, Ms. Johnson is here to see you," Amy announced from the door of the Oval Office later that afternoon.

"Oh," Sharon remarked. She had not been expecting the wife of the Vice President to be dropping by today, but it wasn't an altogether unpleasant surprise. "You can send her in. Thank you, Amy."

Brenda Leigh Johnson entered then, dressed in one of her signature ensembles, a pink sweater set with a flowy, knee-length floral skirt. Her long, blond hair was swept back on the sides and fell in soft curls down her back. Formally, she was known as _Second Lady of the United States_ , but if you called her that to her face, you might be taking your life in your hands. Brenda may have looked like the picture of Southern gentility, but she was a CIA trained interrogator who had been known to make grown men cry in an interview room. Although she didn't work full-time for them anymore, she still occasionally did consulting work for The Company when she wasn't busy with her Second Lady duties, which honestly made her want to vomit at times. However, she was extremely skilled at plastering on a smile and always appearing gracious in public. After all, she was very supportive of Sharon, Fritz, and their administration; it was the ceremonial crap that she could do without.

"Brenda, it's good to see you." Sharon came out from behind her desk to greet the woman with a warm handshake, taking Brenda's extended hand in both of hers and gently squeezing it before releasing. Then she motioned for her visitor to have a seat on one of the couches in the center of her office.

"Madam President, it's been awhile. How are you holdin' up?" she asked, taking a seat and crossing her legs.

Sharon sunk down onto the couch opposite Brenda. "I'm doing okay. This reelection is trying, though. I'm not sure if I…" she began, but thought better of getting into too much personal conversation at the moment. "Never mind," she continued, shaking her head slightly and straightening her posture. "How are things with you?"

"Listen, Sharon, we're both very busy people, so I'm gonna get right to the point of my little visit." Brenda paused for a moment and leaned forward slightly before continuing in a more hushed tone, "Fritz didn't go into detail, but he did tell me that y'all received a disturbin' package from Senator Pope's camp this mornin'."

"Brenda, we're not sure where—"

"Oh, hush," she cut in. "It's from Will's people and y'all know it."

" _Will_?" she asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise that she and the Senator were on a first name basis.

"Yeah, listen, he and I sorta have a history. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I can help you. I can make this all go away just by meetin' with him for five minutes."

Curious, Sharon narrowed her eyes and asked, "How exactly do you know the Senator?"

"When he was Labor Secretary back in the nineties, I was the liaison to his office. We worked closely together. _Very closely_."

"I see." Sharon nodded knowingly. It certainly wasn't news to her that colleagues in stressful jobs who worked long hours together could potentially fall into a romantic relationship, even if one of them happened to be married. She swallowed and hoped her face did not betray the thoughts currently crossing her mind.

"The thing is," Brenda continued, "I didn't know it at the time, but I was not the only woman in his office that he worked very closely with; while still bein' married to his first wife, I might add. He's a pig, Sharon, and I'd just as soon not see him in the White House. I'd be happy to help you." Her lips curled into a coy smile.

Sharon considered this new information for a moment. It certainly sounded enticing to be able to put this man in his place after he had threatened to disgrace her son's reputation just so he could win a Presidential race, but she couldn't help but think of how this revelation would reflect on Brenda. "Wouldn't this information tarnish your reputation as well, if it got out?" she asked.

Brenda shook her head. "It's not gonna get out, and even if it did, I have no desire to run for office. And Fritz is done, too. We talked it over, and as soon as his term as VP is finished, we're both ready for a bit of a quieter life."

"I don't know, Brenda." Sharon crossed her arms over her chest. As appealing as Brenda's offer was, the whole situation still felt wrong to her. "This isn't me. I don't play dirty. If I can't win on my own merits, then…"

"You didn't start it, though. It was Will, and he went after your son. That's not playin' fair. He needs to be taught a lesson. I'll just meet with him, remind him of what I know, and after that I don't think he'll be botherin' you anymore. What do you say, Sharon?"

* * *

It felt strange to be sitting on a blanket outside in the dark in between the hedges of the Rose Garden, but that was where Andy Flynn found himself later that evening. He and Sharon had quite the clandestine system worked out between them. Outside of the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing, there was a small table that usually held a vase of flowers. If the vase contained roses that day, Andy was to count them. The number of roses indicated the time that he should meet her that evening. There had been nine roses in the vase this morning.

Andy checked his watch. It was nearing 9:15, but he wasn't worried. With the unpredictable nature of her job, it was nearly impossible to plan things perfectly. He knew if she wasn't coming that she would send Julio Sanchez or one of the other Secret Service agents to tell him. As if on cue, Andy looked up and spotted Julio walking towards him. As he passed by, the agent whispered, "POTUS five minutes out," with barely a cursory glance in Andy's direction, but he was sure that Julio had seen him. There wasn't much that escaped the agent's sight, hence why he was so good at his job.

After doing a sweep of the Rose Garden, Julio circled back toward Andy, stopped near to where the older man was sitting, and gazed out into the night. He was silent for a few moments before Andy heard him murmur, "Be good to her."

"I wouldn't know any other way to be," Andy answered.

* * *

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Sharon said breathlessly as she rushed to greet Andy a few minutes later. She had changed out of her work clothes and was wearing jeans and her favorite grey cardigan. Having stood up when he noticed her approaching, Andy took her hand and guided her to the blanket he had spread out on the grass. Although deep down Sharon longed to have him pull her close in an embrace, she was grateful that he kept a few inches of space between them as they sat facing one another. She wouldn't call what was going on between them an affair, but they were definitely skirting the edge of propriety when they met in secret like this. Sometimes she didn't know why she worried so much. Jack certainly had no respect for the marriage vows that they had taken over thirty years ago, why should she?

"It's fine, Madam President. I know you're busy," Andy answered. "I hope I'm not keeping you from anything important." There was a note of concern in his voice.

Sharon sighed. This situation wasn't fair to him, she knew, but her hands were tied. She and Jack were still married, at least legally and in the eyes of the public, and she couldn't have the press talking about her personal life any more than they already were.

"No, not at all, Andy. Most of the staff have gone home. I just got off the phone with Rusty, actually. I had to fill him in on everything, just in case it does get leaked to the press. I'd hate for it to catch him by surprise."

He nodded in understanding and looked down at their clasped hands. Sharon hadn't realized until just then that she was still holding on to him.

"And Andy?" he looked up at her then. "When it's just us, alone, can you call me 'Sharon,' please? I know this is terribly awkward and unfair to you, but I just need to be Sharon now. Does that make sense?"

Andy smiled and softly caressed the smooth skin on the back of her hand with his thumb. "Of course, Sharon, and please stop worrying about me. I'm fine. Just being with you like this is more than enough." He paused to look at her and smile before asking, "So how is Rusty?"

"He's doing okay. He didn't say much when I told him what was going on, but I could tell that he was upset by it. I wish I could have told him in person, but it would be hard for me to arrange a visit to his apartment without causing a scene, and I'd hate to have to summon him to the White House on such short notice."

Sharon had to admit that she loved having at least one of her children close by. After Rusty had graduated with his Journalism degree from Georgetown, he had moved to the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC. Just last year, his boyfriend Gus had moved in with him, and the two of them tried to come for dinner at the White House at least once a month. They couldn't always make it work with their busy schedules, but they came as often as they could.

"Is he still working at that magazine?" Andy asked.

"Yes, _Gourmet Life_ combines his two favorites, writing and food." She smiled. Talking about her kids always brought her such a sense of pride. They had all grown into such fine adults, despite their lack of a real father figure. "And I don't think Gus minds it at all when Rusty tests out new recipes on him or tagging along when Rusty has to check out new restaurants so he can write a review."

"How long have the two of them been together now?"

Sharon thought a minute. "I think it's been, wow, over two years. They seem really happy."

"Gus seems like a good guy."

"He really is. And he takes all of the security and press in stride. Although they mostly seem to leave the two of them alone. At least they always have in the past..." Her voice trailed off.

Sharon was still trying to sort out her feelings on the matter. Her heart physically ached at the thought of her political career harming any one of her children. How dare Will Pope threaten to attack her family like this! After speaking with Brenda earlier, she was now convinced that the package must have come from his people. His arrogance astounded her. How could he possibly think that he would be able to blackmail the President and get away with it? She was quickly moving past the hurt stage and right into the please-don't-let-me-send-the-Secret-Service-over-there-and-shoot-him-in-the-head phase. It almost made her want to take Brenda up on her offer to help. Almost.

"Hey," Andy called softly, bringing her back to herself. "Where did you go just then?"

"I'm just trying to decide what to do about this information that Pope's people have on Rusty."

"What do you want to do, Sharon?"

"Well, I can't let this go to the press. It would destroy Rusty and his reputation that he's fought so hard to build at work and with his friends."

"Does Gus know about Rusty's past?"

"Yes. He told him everything after they had been dating for a few months. Gus had a rough upbringing as well, and they were open about everything. They are very honest with one another." She was very proud of this fact. For as long as she'd known him, Rusty always had a tendency to push people away before they got too close. It had taken a lot of work on Sharon's part, but she had helped him to overcome this aspect of his personality, and his relationships with friends and family had only grown stronger as a result.

"That's good, then."

"Yes, but there are still his other friends and colleagues to consider. They don't know anything about it, as they shouldn't. It's no one's business really. Rusty was young, alone, and he was just trying to survive and support himself in the only way that he thought possible. This can't come out, Andy, so either I have to announce that I won't be running for reelection next fall, or..."

"Or?" Andy asked, intrigued.

Sharon's voice grew softer as she continued, "Brenda Johnson came to see me today. She used to work for Will Pope back when he was the Secretary of Labor. She thinks that she could get him to back off."

Andy raised an eyebrow. "And how would she do that?"

"Let's just say that she know things about him that he wouldn't want public."

"Ah, so a little blackmail back at him."

Sharon hummed affirmatively. "But I don't like it, Andy. Even though he's playing dirty, I don't want to stoop to his level, and yet..." Her voice trailed off.

"And yet, what?"

"Dropping out of the race, I, I just don't feel like I can do that."

"Why?"

Sharon turned away from him slightly and raised up her knees, wrapping her arms around them and hugging them to her chest as she spoke into the night. "It's not fair to the Party or to American women." She sat up a little straighter and gestured toward herself as she continued, "Andy, I'm in this position, and I have certain responsibilities, not just as President, but as a woman in this place of power. I can't just quit."

He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. "But you wouldn't be quitting, Sharon. You'd just be finishing up the job that you were hired to do, and then at the end of your term, you'd let someone else take over. There's no shame in that. And you still haven't answered my question by the way."

She turned her head to face him. "What question?"

"What do you _want_?"

"What do I _want_?" she repeated, trying to understand the question. It had been so long since Sharon had even considered it that the concept seemed foreign to her. What _did_ she want? She shook her head. "I have no idea, Andy."

"Yes, you do, Sharon, you just need to give yourself permission to say it. Come here." He put his arm around her and lowered her to lie down on the blanket beside him. He was positioned on his back, and without much thought, she curled herself around his side and laid her hand on his chest. Instantly, she felt her body relax. It seemed so natural to be with him like this. With her head nestled into the crook of his arm, he was able to turn slightly and breathe in the scent of her hair. "Close your eyes," he said softly. "Let your mind wander. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?"

She took a deep breath and let out a hum, settling further into his embrace. "California. It's too damn cold here."

Andy let out a chuckle, which reverberated through his chest and jostled Sharon as well, causing her to smile. It was early fall, and the nights had begun to feel cooler, but this was nothing compared to how the coming winter would be. Having grown up in New Jersey, Andy was used to the changing seasons, and he took them all in stride, but Sharon had spent most of her life in southern California and was not a fan of cold weather in the least. Andy unfolded the extra blanket that he had brought for just this reason and moved to wrap it around Sharon.

Once she settled herself back into his embrace, he said, "Okay, you want to go home to California. What else?"

"I want to live somewhere where there aren't a lot of people around, so I can take walks or sit outside on my patio with my tea and enjoy the scenery."

"That sounds nice." He hesitated before asking the next question, but he pushed forward anyway, "and, are you living alone in this house?"

Sharon was quiet for a moment, and Andy didn't know how to take her silence. With her head on his chest, he was not able to read her face, so he just waited.

"There would be plenty of space for the kids when they came to visit. I hope they would visit often."

"And Jack?"

She shook her head against his chest. "No Jack. After I leave the White House, I want to be done with Jack forever. Well, he'll always be the father of my children, but I need to get on with my own life, separate from Jack."

Andy nodded in agreement even though she couldn't see his face. He had another question on the tip of his tongue, one that he was too scared to ask for fear of what her answer may be. He tentatively opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he heard her mumble, "Ask me again."

"What?" he answered, and she moved away from him slightly to prop up her head with her arm and look at him, her green eyes sparkling with flecks of gold in the moonlight.

"Ask me again what I want."

He turned on his side so he could face her. "What do you want, Sharon?"

Reaching out her free hand, she moved to place it over his beating heart. "You. I want you, Andy."

Andy moved his hand over hers. "You have me. I'm right here."

"But not like this, Andy. I don't want to have to sneak off to be with you or worry who might see us when we're together. I want to be able to walk with you down the street and hold your hand and kiss you without caring who's watching."

"I want that, too, Sharon, and we'll have it. We will."

"But I don't know if I can wait _five years_."

"So, what if you don't run for reelection? It's just a year then."

"But, I have to…"

"Sharon, you don't. You really don't," he said, moving to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "And I'm not just saying this because I want you all to myself. You don't have an obligation to anyone, except maybe to yourself and your kids."

"Rusty," she mumbled. "I don't want to have to resort to blackmail to protect him, not if dropping out of the race would have the same effect."

"Ask yourself this, Sharon. What if it were Emily in your position? What would you tell her?"

"It's funny you say that," she said with a smile. "I just had a very similar conversation with Emily last week."

"Really? What about?"

"She wants to retire from the ballet company. She just turned 30, and she's had enough. She wants to start family. Her boyfriend Buzz, who does publicity for the company, asked her to marry him."

Andy smiled at this revelation. "And what did she say?"

"Yes. She wants to move back to LA and open her own studio. Buzz has some contacts in the film industry, so he would easily be able to find work."

"That's great. Aren't you happy about that?"

"I'm thrilled, but Emily isn't sure. She said she feels an obligation to the company. She feels like she should stay, because there's nothing wrong with her. Even though she's getting older, she is still capable of keeping up; she's just tired of it."

"Hmm," he said, "sounds like her mother. So what did you tell her?"

"I told her to follow her heart, that it would show her the way."

"Sounds like good advice."

"Maybe I should take it myself," she said dreamily, tracing patterns on Andy's chest with her fingers.

"And what is your heart telling you, Sharon?"

"It's telling me that I should kiss you right now," she answered and looked up to meet his eyes for just a second before he leaned in to capture her lips. It was even better than she remembered. Gently, he lowered her head to the blanket as he moved to hover over her without once breaking contact. Without a doubt, Sharon finally knew what she wanted it, and this was it. She was completely swept away, aware of nothing but his soft lips and tender hands, which had begun to explore the thin material of her t-shirt and were stroking her sides gently when the sound of someone clearing their throat caused him to pull away from her suddenly.

Andy propped up his head with his arm, but kept his focus on the blanket beneath them as he fought to catch his breath. Sharon moved to cover her mouth with the back of her hand when she saw Julio standing above them.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Ma'am," the agent began, "but you have an urgent call from Secretary McCord."

"Thank you, Julio." She said with a nod. "Just give us a minute, please."

When Julio walked away then, the two of them couldn't help but laugh. Sitting up, Sharon pulled down her t-shirt, which had ridden up slightly, and straightened her sweater around herself. Andy reached out and smoothed down her hair for her.

"You can't keep the Secretary waiting," he said with a smile.

Sharon nodded. Suddenly everything was clear to her. She knew what she had to do, what she _wanted_ to do, and for once in her life she was going to do just that.

"Andy, Tell Mike Tao to draft a speech for me announcing that I won't be running next fall, and get Russ to talk to the network about scheduling some air time. I'll call the Democratic leadership in the morning to give them a heads up."

"Are you okay with all of this, Sharon? Is this really what you want to do? Because if you want to run, we'll find a way to—"

"Andy, look at me." She took his face in both of her hands then. "I am honored to have been given this opportunity to serve as President. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I'm done with fighting with the press and trying to protect my kids from evil people. And I'm done with being married to Jack. I'm ready to start living my own life on my terms. I think I've earned that right, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have."

"Thank you for tonight, Andy," she said, tracing the side of his face with her fingers, "for being there for me, and for listening. It means so much."

"Anytime." He leaned in to give her another quick kiss. "Now go. Be presidential. I'll clean up here," he said, motioning to the blankets. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Sharon smiled as she rose then and made her way back to the West Wing. For the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to tomorrow and the promise it would bring.

* * *

 **A/N:** There will be one more chapter to wrap everything up, but it probably won't be published as fast as this one was. At least I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger this time. And Major Crimes Mondays are back this week!

Please take a minute to let me know what you thought of this latest installment. I love reviews like Provenza loves his crossword puzzles. Just sayin'.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** This is the final chapter. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, and offered encouragement. I would like to give a special shout-out to my awesome editor **Labyrinth01**. Thanks for all your help, dear.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 _"I am here to today to announce that I will not be seeking a second term. I would like to thank the American people for giving me the enormous privilege to serve as your President."_

The briefing room suddenly erupted as reporters jumped to their feet and began waving their arms, shouting, "Madam President!" The flashes from the dozens of cameras were blinding as Sharon struggled to remain focused. Taking a deep breath, she called on a familiar journalist from the _Chicago Sun_ and then one from CNBC. Everyone wanted to know why she wasn't running. She kept her answers concise: personal reasons, a conclusion that she'd reached after careful discussion with her family, and, no, she was not ill, although she was beginning to feel that way after half an hour of being under the bright lights and what felt like the entire country's scrutiny.

"That's all for now. Thank you," she announced as she took a step back from the podium, and Russ stepped up to fill her vacancy without a second's hesitation to continue taking questions from the press.

As she turned toward the door, Jack, who had been standing behind her the entire time, kissed her cheek and took hold of her hand to escort her to the hall. As soon as they were out of the sight of the press, however; they released hands without looking at one another and went their separate ways. Sharon immediately spotted Mike Tao, who was standing in the shadows, and walked over to greet him.

"Mike, thank you so much for the speech," she said, smiling and squeezing his hand gently.

"It was my pleasure, Madam President. I was sorry to hear that you won't be running next year, but I understand." He returned her smile, but she detected a sadness in his eyes.

Sharon leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and whispered, "If the next administration doesn't hire you, they're crazy."

A small group had begun to gather in the hall, and Sharon shook hands and shared chaste kisses with Louie, Amy, and the rest of her staff who were milling about. And if she lingered a little bit longer, closing her eyes and nuzzling into his neck when Andy hugged her, no one on her staff seemed to care.

"All right, everyone, back to work," she finally said over the dull hum of voices. "Our job is not finished yet. We still have a little over a year left in this White House; let's make the most of it, shall we?"

A soft round of applause began, but Sharon waved it off humbly. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs me," she said with a nod toward everyone. When her eyes scanned the faces in group, she stopped to make eye contact with Andy for just a second before turning away and heading back to work.

* * *

A few hours later, Sharon was seated at her desk with a report from the Department of Agriculture when her phone buzzed.

 _"Madam President?"_ She heard Amy's voice say.

"Yes?" she answered.

 _"Andy is here. Can I send him in?"_

Sharon sighed. She really needed to get through this report, but she could spare a minute or two for him, she reasoned. "Yes," she finally answered. "And Amy?"

 _"Yes, Madam President?"_

"Can you just give us a few minutes?" she asked, hoping her aide would understand her request that they not be disturbed.

 _"Of course."_

Andy walked in then and made his way over to her as she came out from behind her desk to lean against its corner.

"Listen, Sharon, I don't want to take up too much of your time; I know that you're busy. I just wanted to let you know that I thought you did great today," he said, and when he reached her, he rested his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Reaching up, she placed her hand over his and stroked his knuckles gently. "Thank you, Andy. That means a lot." She smiled up at him, and though she hadn't planned on kissing him just then, she tilted her head up almost instinctually when she sensed his mouth inching toward hers. Her eyes closed, her lips parted, and she could feel his warm breath on her face when the sound of the door flying open and a shout of _"Mr. Raydor, wait!"_ caused the two of them to jump apart abruptly.

Jack took a step inside the office, but he stopped dead when he saw the scene before him. A devious smile curled his mouth, and he softly shut the door behind him. "Well, well," he said. "Now everything is becoming clear."

"What do you want, Jack?" Sharon asked with her eyes narrowed, daring him to comment on a moment that he was blowing way out of proportion.

Ignoring her question, Jack instead turned his attention to the man beside her. "Andy, Andy," he began, shaking his head and tut-tutting softly."We used to be friends, didn't we? And now you're banging my wife."

"Listen here, Jackie-boy," Andy spat back bitterly. "I've got news for you. We were never friends. A long time ago, you were someone to get drunk with, but that got old real fast. And as far as Sharon and I are concerned..." Sharon placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before he could begin to cross the room toward Jack.

"Andy, we don't owe him any explanation," she spoke softly before turning toward her husband. "And you," she continued in a more severe tone, "I've lost track of how many women I've caught you with or heard about over the years. Don't you dare come in here and accuse me of infidelity. We haven't had a real marriage in over twenty years, and it won't be too much longer until we are officially over."

"You filed for divorce?" Jack asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

Andy looked shocked, too. This was the first time Sharon had spoke of this to anyone.

"Gavin Baker has the papers all drawn up," she stated matter-of-factly. "They will be filed the day after the new president is sworn in. As far as I'm concerned, when we leave the White House, we will be going our separate ways. I hope you have a nice life, Jack. Now if you will excuse me, I have a cabinet meeting in..." She paused to glance at her watch. "Five minutes."

"This is isn't over," Jack warned, pointing a threatening finger at the two of them as he backed toward the door.

"Oh, I think it is," Sharon answered, crossing her arms over her chest and smirking in spite of herself. Jack may threaten her with retaliation, but she knew it was in his best interest to fly under the radar until her term was over. Then he would accept whatever conditions ended up being outlined if he knew what was good for him. He had caused plenty of scandal of his own during her term in office, and just about every judge in LA County had been a friend of Sharon's father, former DA William Francis O'Dwyer. No, Jack's idle threats didn't worry her one bit.

"You okay?" Andy asked when Jack was finally gone.

"Yes," she answered, while playfully adjusting his tie. Then smoothing it down, she added, "But I really do need to get to that cabinet meeting. I'll see you later?" Her eyes met his questioningly.

Andy grinned and leaned into whisper, "I'll bring the blanket," before kissing her softly.

* * *

 _Three months later_

"Hey, Brenda? Come in here," Fritz called from the couch in the sitting room where he was currently nursing his first cup of coffee and perusing the paper. The TV was on low in the background, but when he noticed the headline that appeared at the bottom of the screen, he put his newspaper down and turned up the volume.

"Hold on, Fritzy. I'm just pourin' my coffee." He heard her answer from the kitchen.

"It looks like Will Pope is dropping out of the race!"

" _Really?_ " she responded with a little too much surprise to be completely genuine as she entered the room to watch the report with him.

 _Sources say that Senator Pope was having an affair with a Margaret Scott, an auditor for the US Department of Energy. The two have been seen coming and going from the Washington Hilton in Adams Morgan…_

"It's such a shame that Will chose to take Maggie to the one hotel currently under surveillance by the CIA for possible terrorist activity." Fritz turned and noticed the beginnings of a smile beginning to cross his wife's lips before she lifted her coffee cup to take a sip.

"That _is_ a shame. I wonder who could have leaked it to the press, though. Certainly not the CIA," he mused.

"Oh, no, Fritzy. Someone must have a gripe against Pope. There must be _someone_ who wanted to see him out of the race for president now that Sharon is not running." She moved to sit across his lap, her coffee cup still held in her right hand.

"Hmm..." he pondered with a cocked smile and a raised eyebrow before leaning in to kiss Brenda softly. When he pulled away, he said, "You do realize that Peter Goldman will probably get the Republican nomination now."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did consider that. I can't believe that he is the best that the GOP could come up with, but I have faith that Governor Delk will win the Democratic nomination, and he can beat Goldman no problem."

"You've certainly thought this through for someone who's _just heard_ the news."

"Fritzy, you know how fast my mind works." She paused to smile at her husband before speaking again, this time in a more serious tone, "Are you okay with all this? With not runnin' and bein' done with politics? I know bein' in the White House was your dream for a long time."

"It was, Brenda, but now I have something else to look forward to. A new adventure." He paused to graze her abdomen, which had just begun to round as she was entering her second trimester of pregnancy. "Are _you_ okay with all of this, Brenda? I know we didn't plan for this, but…"

"It was hard to accept at first," she admitted, resting her hand on his, "but I'm lookin' forward to this new chapter. As long as you're with me."

"You don't ever have to worry about that, Brenda," he said, tracing her cheek softly with his fingers before moving in for another kiss. As soon as their lips met, however, the sound of someone clearing their throat broke the spell of their intimate exchange.

"Excuse me, Mr. Vice President?"

Fritz looked up to see his assistant Stephanie in the entryway avert her eyes, adjust her glasses, and began to leaf through the stack of papers that were cradled in her arms. "Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to go over your schedule for the day, Sir."

Brenda raised her eyebrows and grinned at her husband. "Duty calls, Mr. Vice President. You'd better get to work."

* * *

 _One year later_

Sunlight streaming through the gauze-like curtains covering the bedroom windows felt warm on Sharon's face as she slowly awoke. Without opening her eyes, she could tell by the brightness that it was already mid-morning. Out of habit, she usually stirred at around five, but in the past two months since she'd left the White House, she had gotten better at falling back asleep for a little while, especially now that there was usually the comforting weight of an arm wrapped around her middle and the warmth of another body beside to her.

She put her hand over the larger one that was resting on her bare waist and stroked the fingers there gently. It hadn't taken her long to get used to sharing a bed again, and she slept so much better these days than she had in a long time. Most mornings she didn't even want to get up, and lucky for her, on lazy Saturdays such as this one, she didn't have reason to.

Slowly she opened her eyes and glanced out her window to the view of the ocean. After leaving the White House, she and Andy had found a beautiful old Victorian situated on a hilltop in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco, which they now called home. The affluent neighborhood wouldn't necessarily have been their first choice for residence, but the sprawling estate offered the space and privacy she needed for security, and they both had to admit that it was nice to have the extra rooms for when their kids came to visit.

Some might say that buying a house together right away was moving a little too fast, but Sharon and Andy had been good friends for a long time. Becoming lovers was only the final step in a relationship that had been slowly blossoming for years.

Every now and then Sharon still wondered if she made the right decision in leaving the White House, but she always came back to this feeling of peace that she now awoke with each morning. And she couldn't imagine her life any other way.

Just as Sharon had suspected, Jack hadn't put up much of a fight during their divorce settlement. As his last hurrah, he waltzed in on one of her Senior Staff meetings during her last few weeks in office and made a sarcastic comment about how comfortable Andy and Sharon seemed to be getting with one another. In reaction to his sudden outburst, the entire room stood silent for a moment until Louie asked, "So how's that French girlfriend of yours doing, _mon amie_?"

Sharon hadn't meant to let out a snort of laughter at Louie's unexpected jump to her defense, but she couldn't help herself when she observed the shocked expression on her husband's face, almost as if someone had slapped him. Jack stormed out angrily then, and he never set foot in the Oval Office after that day.

True to his word, Gavin had filed the divorce papers the day after the inauguration, and both she and Jack were ready to go their separate ways by then. Neither wanted a long, drawn-out media spectacle to take away from the new president's first days in office. Jack moved to Las Vegas, where he was currently working in one of his old buddy's law offices. Somehow he always ended up back there. Sharon hadn't spoken to him in several weeks, but she was sure that she would be seeing him again soon. Buzz and Emily's wedding was coming up in the spring and Rusty and Gus were planning one of their own for autumn of next year. Ricky was still a confirmed bachelor, but that could all change at any point. Sharon knew better than anyone that love could creep up on you when you least expected it.

When the arm around her began to tighten, and she felt soft lips and the rough bristle of a day's worth of stubble brush against her shoulder, she knew that her bed mate was beginning to stir. "Morning, sleepyhead," she said before turning to face him, his arm still draped loosely around her.

Andy opened one eye briefly, but then closed it again before rubbing it with his knuckles. "Who are you calling _sleepyhead_? I don't see you in a rush to get out of bed," he mumbled before covering his mouth to stifle a yawn.

Sharon giggled at his dramatic movements before leaning in to softly kiss his lips. He hummed pleasurably as she pulled away.

"It's nice and warm here," she answered, snuggling closer to him and using her thumb to smooth down his eyebrows, which always seemed to become mussed in sleep. She continued to trace the features of his face and his eyelids drooped closed once again. "Anyway, you have me trapped," she pointed out, caressing the muscles of the arm encircling her to illustrate her point.

Raising the offending limb, he said, "You are free to go at any time." His movement caused the blankets covering them to rise up, letting in a draft that produced goosebumps on her bare skin.

"Andy!" she protested, quickly pulling his arm back down. "You're letting all the cold air in."

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand beside her then, and she instinctively turned to reach for it, but Andy gently pulled her back. "Don't answer it, Sharon. Just give it a minute."

She sighed, torn. Honestly, her phone didn't go off very often anymore. Any requests for public appearance and speaking engagements were filtered through Amy, who still worked as her personal aide and secretary. "It might be one of the kids," she said, grazing her lip with her teeth as she spoke, and Andy relented, releasing his hold on her.

Sharon picked up her glasses to slide them on her face and lifted her phone off the table to glance at the display. "It's from Louie," she said, swiping the screen with her finger to read the message. " _Are you watching the news?"_ she read aloud, and then turned to him. "Andy, do you have the remote over there?"

Andy sighed, reached over to his nightstand to retrieve it, and pushed the power button. A reporter's voice said:

 _President Delk was rushed to George Washington University Hospital this morning when he suddenly collapsed during a cabinet meeting. Unconfirmed reports are saying he has suffered a massive stroke…_

"Oh my God," Sharon whispered as she moved to sit up on the bed, pulling the sheet up to cover herself as she did. The phone in her hand suddenly began to vibrate again. It was a call this time, but her eyes never left the TV screen as she lifted it to her ear. "Hello?" she answered. "Yeah, we're watching it now. Is it true that he had a stroke?"

" _Is it Louie?"_ Andy mouthed. Sharon nodded in reply, while simultaneously trying to listen intently to her old friend and keep her eyes on the news report.

"Okay, keep us informed," she said, before ending the call.

"What did he say?" Andy asked, turning down the volume on the TV so he could hear her response.

"He said they were in the cabinet meeting, President Delk was talking, and all of a sudden he started slurring his words and just collapsed. Louie's at the hospital now with some of the other staff waiting to hear how he is, but he doesn't think he's regained consciousness yet."

"Wow," was all Andy could think to say as he reached over to squeeze her hand, and they both stared at the muted TV, which was showing a video of the president's unmoving form being wheeled out of an ambulance.

After a few minutes, Andy stood up and bent down to pull on his shorts and t-shirt. "I'm gonna put on some coffee and start something for breakfast. You coming?" he asked her. "We can turn the TV on downstairs. And I'm sure Louie will call again with any news."

"I'll be out in a minute," she answered softly, waving a hand in his direction, but not meeting his eyes. Hers were still transfixed on the television as images of Mrs. Delk and their two sons flashed on the screen. _They're so young_ , she thought to herself.

* * *

When Sharon finally joined Andy in the kitchen, he had already finished making blueberry pancakes, and he handed her one on a plate wordlessly with a strained smile as she sat at the table. She had thrown on her nightgown, not wanting to take the time to dress just yet while the status of the president was still so unclear. Through the entryway to the living room, she could see the TV, and she kept one eye on it as she cut her pancake into pieces. Andy motioned between the coffee pot and the tea kettle in order to gauge her preference, and she nodded toward the kettle before offering him a thankful smile.

The two ate quietly as they continued to listen to the news report, and Sharon occasionally stole glances at her cell phone beside her, which remained dark and silent. Not until they were drying the last dish from breakfast did the device finally light up and begin to buzz. Drying her hands quickly, Sharon raced toward her phone and saw the words "Unknown Caller" listed on the display.

"This is Sharon Raydor," she said tentatively, raising the phone to her ear.

 _"Please hold for the Vice President,"_ a male voice that she didn't recognize answered. After a click and a beat of silence, a familiar female voice came on the line.

 _"Madam President?"_ the voice asked.

"For God's sake, Andrea, it's just 'Sharon.' What's going on over there?" she asked her good friend and former college roommate in exasperation.

Sharon detected a shaky intake of breath on the other end of the line before Andrea responded quietly, _"He's dead, Sharon. Tommy Delk is dead."_

"Oh, God," she answered, collapsing onto the kitchen chair.

Andy gazed at her from across the room with wide eyes. "Is he..." he began quietly, and Sharon nodded affirmatively before he could finish. He then joined her at the table, reaching across it to take her hand in his.

 _"I don't think I'm ready for this, Sharon,"_ her friend whispered. _"I was doing a favor for a former law school professor who's been a good friend and mentor when I agreed to run with him. I never imagined I'd be in this position so soon. I thought maybe eight years down the road, after two terms as VP under my belt…God, Sharon, he was such a healthy guy and really not that much older than we are. How did this happen?"_

"I don't know that, Andrea," she answered sincerely, "but I do know one thing. You _can_ do this. I mean, you can never truly be prepared for it, but you are one of the smartest, strongest women that I know, and you are going to make a great president."

Sharon detected muffled voices in the background. _"I have to go, Sharon,"_ Andrea said quickly.

"Of course you do," Sharon replied. "I'm here if you need me. Call anytime. And Andrea?"

 _"Yeah?"_

"Don't let them see you sweat."

* * *

An hour later, showered and dressed, Andy and Sharon sat on the couch and watched the news coverage, which had finally reported President Delk's death. It truly was a dark day and a sad occasion. Sharon was not looking forward to having to return to DC for the funeral next week, but all of that faded to the back of her mind for the time being as she watched her friend on the television place her left hand on a bible, raise a slightly shaking right hand, and recite the oath of office:

 _"I, Andrea Hobbs, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God."_

 _"Congratulations, Madam President,"_ the Chief Justice said, firmly shaking Andrea's hand.

Sharon had never felt so proud.

 _ **~FIN**_


End file.
